Christmas Memories
by kichu200211
Summary: Phoenix is left alone as Athena and Trucy leave to Khura'in. He plans his own trip to Kurain to visit Maya and Pearl. Along the way, the attorney has memories of his old assistant. He isn't just going to visit, after all...


**Author's Note: NaruMayo is my OTP and so, I wrote a huge Christmas oneshot for it. I love seeing them together happily like Pearl does. Anyways, on to the story. Phoenix doesn't wear his blue suit to Gatewater land. I felt it would be too out of place. Please review and provide any criticism you need to.**

* * *

After Apollo bid Phoenix farewell in Khura'in, Phoenix had only one person left in the agency to take cases and help in his investigations. Phoenix knew he could rely on Athena's help and before he knew it, she was taking on cases on her own and was able to pull in many victories. She was coming into her own as a lawyer and he couldn't have been prouder of his disciple. He knew it was only a matter of time before she, like Apollo, would outshine him and become a better lawyer in all ways.

During one case, however, Athena was busy helping Trucy in her magic act, replacing Apollo. The Butz, reeking of his usual unluckiness, came into his office with a woman in a bridal dress. She introduced herself as Ellen Wyatt and was on the run from the police, helped by Larry. She came and asked Phoenix to defend her, and once the police arrested her—at his office, no less—Larry begged him to defend her. Due to his insistence, Phoenix decided to go to the detention center and talk to her, taking her case. When he went over to the site to investigate, he found that it was a huge airship.

' _Just what I need. I hate heights,'_ thinks Phoenix, slumping forward, sweat pouring off his face.

Just as he was about to begin his investigation, Larry told him that he's called in some help. Suddenly a red sports car appeared and out of it came Maya Fey. Edgeworth's also there and the four old friends have a great reunion, with banter—mostly insulting Larry; a favorite past-time for both Phoenix and Miles—being exchanged between them. Edgeworth was the prosecutor for that case as no other prosecutors would take the case, due to the Sprockets pulling their weight into the Prosecutor's office. Edgeworth took Larry with him to wring him out for helping Ellen escape.

Once Edgeworth and Larry left, Maya asked Phoenix to allow her to help him in the case like old times. Phoenix had no objections and the two came exploding back into the courtroom scene together for the first time in years. They had an amazing time investigating a case, as though Phoenix had never been disbarred and Maya had never left. She acted quite like she always did—having huge amounts of energy and a lightly childish personality—and he acted like he always did, being the voice of reason and fuddy-duddy-ness.

Although he never admitted it, he _sorely_ missed Maya during the years she was gone, and those years he didn't have her as his assistant. Maya had left just before he met Apollo in his own murder trial. He had told her Apollo was a guy with a loud voice and good potential. He had told her about being injured, and she asked Pearl to send him her entire Steel Samurai DVD collection. Of course he took it, as it was the one thing keeping him sane while he was in the hospital. Coming from Maya, sending your entire Steel Samurai collection was saying something.

He had never told her his true feelings, out of fear of rejection. He had always found her antics adorable and although he joked otherwise, he was fine with feeding her immense appetite. At first, he told himself that she was his mentor's little sister and that she was his assistant, but over time, even those excuses fell away, as she became a beautiful woman in her own right. He saved her from Shelly and crossed that bridge for her, not for Mia's little sister or his assistant, but for _her_. Seeing her again in Khura'in just told him that it was only a matter of time before he told her.

.

.

Maya's stay in Khura'in was quite the same. It was better because, hey, no elders or chores, but also no Nick, Trucy, or Pearly. She was bored as _hell_ during those two years in Khura'in and the only things which got her through was the thoughts of seeing Nick and Pearly and finally becoming Master. Waterfall training was brutal; add to that the freezing temperatures and you get the worst thing she's had to experience in years. One of the things which made her stay bearable was the Inmee family, who took her in when she came to Khura'in.

She trusted them because they were good people who took in an outsider out of the kindness of their hearts. Beh'leeb was the _best_ chef in Khura'in and the fact that it was her family which took her in was about the best Maya could ask for. Maya did, of course, have to scale back her usually immense appetite; she didn't want to take advantage of their hospitality, after all. Every day without Nick, Trucy, and Pearly was tough, but her duty to her village and her knowledge that she _could_ see them again in two years got her through the ordeal.

She had never told him her true feelings for him, also out of a fear of rejection. She knew it was stupid, but it was one that she couldn't control. She had had a crush on him for over ten years at this point, ever since he had defended her in the trial for her sister's murder. He believed in her even when she didn't believe in herself, proving that she was useful to him, defending her in _another_ murder charge, and then saving her life when she was kidnapped meanwhile catching the bad guy, crossing a burning bridge for her just because he thought something was wrong—it was no wonder that she loved him.

* * *

December 23, 2028 7:25 PM

Wright Anything Agency

Athena and Trucy both left to Khura'in to visit Apollo that morning; they're going to return in two weeks' time. Athena's earned a break after how diligently she's worked in the past few months. Phoenix is left alone in his office, given time to think. He also closes up the agency for the next two weeks in order to take a break. These past few months were non-stop casework and he needs a break. Phoenix is sitting in his chair thinking about what had happened here in this office almost exactly one year ago.

* * *

December 22, 2027 11:20 AM

Wright Anything Agency

After he had gotten his badge back, he had finally found the courage to speak to Mia again, about his disbarment. He was given his chance to talk to her when Pearl came to the city from Kurain Village to help him. She came with a letter from Maya, which comforts him immediately. With the help of Maya and Pearl, Phoenix was able to continue the investigation and finally resolve the UR-1 incident, catching the true culprit and saving his daughter from Aura Blackquill, who had kidnapped her and others in order to force a retrial.

The day after the trial, Athena and Apollo both took an off day. Phoenix acquiesces as they deserve it due to their hard work. When Pearl comes to visit him, he asks her to channel Mia for him. He wants her opinions on a few personal matters. Pearl, of course, agrees immediately to channel her older cousin. She sat down onto the sofa and got into a prayer pose. Phoenix sits opposite to her looking on intently at the channeling happening in front of him.

Mia Fey opens her eyes and looks at the man in front of her. It is Phoenix. She is shocked to find that he looked so much older and concludes that it has been a long time since she had been channeled. Phoenix looks at her and smiles slightly, seemingly knowing her question beforehand.

"Chief, it's been almost eight years since you were channeled," says Phoenix, answering her question.

"You seem pretty happy," says Mia, smiling at him.

"Well, I just saved my daughter from a hostage situation and resolved a years-old murder trial," says Phoenix.

"A _daughter_? Don't tell me you and Iris—" says Mia, looking shocked.

"Oh no! Nonononono! Me and Iris didn't get together. She told me she was returning to Hazakura and taking a vow of chastity. Something about 'seeking forgiveness for all the sins that she had committed' and 'repaying all the people she'd hurt.' I haven't heard from her at all in about seven years. I adopted Trucy, my daughter, from one of my clients who disappeared at the stand," Phoenix explains, waving his hands in the air to stop Mia from getting the wrong conclusion.

"Oh, okay. Wait, one of your clients disappeared on you? Was it weirdest one these past—you said eight—years?" asked Mia, looking slightly curious.

She took a look around the unfamiliar office space, and a questioning look appeared on her face, "Phoenix, why does my office look like a magician's closet? What have you been doing these past eight years?"

Phoenix's expression immediately sobers and becomes darker, his head lowering in spite of himself. Mia didn't miss a beat and, seeing that the conversation had become much less jovial, asks, "What happened, Phoenix?"

Mia doesn't say a word, wanting her protégé to explain what happened during these past eight years.

Phoenix then slowly lifts his head up and looks Mia right in the eye, a pained expression appearing on his face, before saying, "I was disbarred, Chief… for eight years. I only got my badge back this July."

A longer, more tense silence infects the room before Mia asks, "How did that happen, Phoenix?"

"I-I presented forged evidence in court and I was caught," says Phoenix, looking away once again, the courage to face his mentor fading by the second.

A third silence. Mia understands, then, why she wasn't channeled in eight years: he didn't have the courage to tell her. Phoenix was too scared to face her after losing his badge. She feels slightly betrayed—though she wasn't angry—that he would hide something like that from her. Was she really that unapproachable?

Right now, though, she realizes Phoenix needs her reassurance that she doesn't blame him. She knew that Phoenix would _never_ forge evidence for a trial. He was too good of a person to _ever_ do that. She knows because Phoenix once had to choose to save Maya's life or to see justice through. His choice there proved to her the type of lawyer Phoenix was and she _absolutely refused_ to believe he would do such a thing.

"I don't believe, _for one second_ , that you would _ever_ forge evidence," said Mia, looking directly at him.

Phoenix chuckles.

"You sound just like Maya. She came here the _very next day_ to tell me that. And you're right; I didn't forge it. I was given that evidence by my daughter, or at that time my client, Shadi's, daughter, just before the trial. I had only taken the case very late the previous night and had to rely completely on the evidence given to me by his previous defense attorney, Kristoph Gavin," explains Phoenix.

"Keep going," says Mia.

"Well, you've heard of the Troupe Gramarye, right?" asks Phoenix.

"Yes, I watched their show once," says Mia, nodding.

"Zak Gramarye, or Shadi Enigmar, was accused of murdering his mentor, Magnifi Gramarye. Magnifi kept a diary and the last page was ripped out. Kristoph got the last page forged, but when Shadi rejected him, he went and told his brother Klavier, the prosecutor for the trial, about the forgery and said _I_ ordered it," Phoenix explains, looking down slightly. These were bitter memories; it didn't matter how much time had passed from then.

"The next day, he planted the evidence on Trucy and told her to give it to me. Later on, in court, Klavier went on to trap me and forced me to use that forged page. I presented it and was caught. Seven years of investigating later, my protégé Apollo proved me innocent of forgery and just recently, I got my badge back," says Phoenix, showing his new badge to her.

"Protégé? Who thought my student would eventually become a teacher?" asks Mia, smiling happily at him.

"Hehe. I learned from the best and wanted to pass it on," says Phoenix.

"Anyways, Kristoph was dangerous so I had to limit my contact with Maya, Pearl, and Edgeworth to keep them safe. I also adopted Trucy as Zak disappeared on her and never came back. I know how much I must disappoint you," Phoenix adds bitterly.

"I don't blame you, Phoenix. You just did what any lawyer would. Even I would have presented that if I was in the position you were," Mia said comfortingly, "You were handed an almost impossible case and relied on the evidence, like any good defense attorney. I know you would rather die than falsify evidence."

"Er—yeah," said Phoenix, smiling. He opted not to tell her about that time he gave Apollo the bloody ace. That was a tale for another day.

"So, tell me what cases you _have_ taken since you got your badge back," said Mia.

"Well, I've taken one where I defended a whale from a murder charge. I saw Pearls at the aquarium; it was a good reunion," said Phoenix, a true smile crossing his face.

"Wait… _a whale?"_

"Yup, a behemoth named Orla. She seemed to like me; she gave me a kiss right here," he says, laughing and pointing at his cheek, where Orla gave him a kiss.

"Don't tell me you plan on going out with a whale," teases Mia, putting her palm to her face in mock embarrassment.

"No! _No!_ Anyway, after that, I made sure to teach my _other_ student, Athena, the ropes. She's from Europe and has a special ability where she can read people's emotions. She also has a dark past."

"Oh?"

"Her mother was killed, an innocent man was declared guilty after confessing, and she was called as a witness in court. She testified that he was lying and that he didn't kill her, but the court wouldn't listen. I was disbarred at that time because otherwise, I would have immediately taken that case. Anyway, that was the most recent case I took. I resolved it and found the true killer, an international spy called 'the Phantom'," explains Phoenix.

"Oh okay, thanks. I thought Maya would be all over your comeback to court. Where is she?" asks Mia, looking around trying to find her younger sister.

"Wait, she never told you? She went off to train in a country called Khura'in, she'll be back in a few months, though," said Phoenix, slightly sadly, "I miss her, though. Last time I was an attorney, she was here with me, by my side."

"I can bet you she misses you too, Phoenix," said Mia.

"Erm… Mia, there's something I want to tell you," said Phoenix, blushing slightly at the cheeks.

"Oh? What is it?" asked Mia, curious.

Phoenix takes in a breath, steeling himself for the reprimand he knew was coming, "I-I kind of sort of, um, like your sister. I know it sounds weird and she's seven years younger than me, I know. But over the past few years, I've sort of grown to have feelings for her. I know you're going to tell me I'm crazy and that I should chase someone my own age, but I just wanted to tell you."

Mia's in disbelief at first, but her expression immediately softens as she says, "Don't worry, Phoenix. I approve. Please just take care of her for me. I know you love her and I don't know anyone else that could make her as happy as you can."

Phoenix blinks repeatedly in surprise and then walked over to envelope Mia in a crushing hug, "Thank you, Chief. I haven't told her, yet. I wanted you to be the first one to know. I'll tell her after she comes back."

"Phoenix, need air. Can't breathe," says Mia, eyes wide, face turning blue.

"Oh, sorry. I was just happy," said Phoenix, letting go, starting to calming down from his happy outburst.

"Don't worry. I just want her to have some happiness for once in her life. You can give that to her, I know it," said Mia, looking at Phoenix affectionately.

"I won't let either of you down, Chief," said Phoenix, giving his mentor another—softer—hug and smiling.

"I know you won't," said Mia, smiling at Phoenix.

The rest of the conversation is pleasant and when it's over, Mia has to return to the afterlife. She gives Phoenix a final wave, and standing in front of Phoenix is the small form of Pearl Fey.

"Did you have a good talk with Mystic Mia?" said Pearl.

"Yes, Pearls, I did," said Phoenix sincerely.

* * *

December 23, 2028 7:55 PM

Wright Anything Agency

Phoenix suddenly ends this reverie when he realizes something horrible. He has nothing to do. Athena and Trucy are gone. Edgeworth has left to Europe again, most probably to visit Franziska for Christmas.

 _Well, what else do I have to do? You know what? I'll go to Kurain to visit Maya and Pearl. It's been a while since I visited them._ He wants someone to know that he's going to be going over there, but he wants to make sure that it's kept a surprise from Maya. He dials the number to Kurain and its Pearl who answers the phone.

"Hello, Mr. Nick," says Pearl.

"Hey there, Pearls," says Phoenix, "I'm going to be coming there to visit tomorrow evening for the next two weeks. Athena and Trucy left to visit Apollo in Khura'in. They'll be back in two weeks. I just wanted you to know."

"No worries, Mr. Nick," says Pearl, sounding extremely excited, "I'm so glad you can come. I can't wait to tell Mystic Maya. We haven't seen you since September."

"Pearls, can you keep this a secret from her? I want to surprise her by coming tomorrow. Also ,I'll be coming via the five o'clock train," says Phoenix.

"OK! I won't tell her about you coming to visit. I'm sure it will make her very happy, though, Mr. Nick. Thank you!"

"No, thank you for having me, Pearls," says Phoenix, gratefully.

Phoenix starts packing up his bags and decided to head on the evening train the next day so he could spend the morning picking out the best gifts. Phoenix goes through his drawers, getting his apparel from the drawers. While he was going through the drawers—he was messy and kept his clothes in random drawers—he discovered a picture that he had kept in there a little bit less than ten years ago. A picture which he would treasure forever. It was a picture of him, Maya, and Pearl at Gatewater Land, soaking wet.

* * *

March 13, 2019 9:15 AM

Wright and Co Law Offices

"C'mon, Nick," says Maya, growing ever impatient, "you promised we were going today. Are you really that slow at changing, old man? Do you need someone to help you?"

"Hold it! I'm just putting on something new. Do you really expect me to go to _Gatewater Land_ dressed in my blue suit, Maya? C'mon, I have more class than that," says Phoenix, finally opening his bedroom door and stepping out.

Maya gasps. He was wearing a blue T-shirt with the Steel Samurai logo on it and elastic pants also emblazoned with the warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo. It was her Christmas present to him. She was so happy he chose to wear that to the park.

"What? Don't like it?" asks Phoenix, an anxious look on his face.

"No, I love it!" exclaims Maya, smiling widely.

"Well then, let's get going," says Phoenix, grinning, "we don't have all day to waste _here_ after all."

"Yeah! This is my first ah-muse-ment park! I want to go now, Mr. Nick," says Pearl, hopping up and down on her little feet.

The cab ride to Gatewater wasn't very interesting, although there was that one time where Pearl saw a billboard for a law office. She asks Phoenix why he and Maya didn't have a billboard for their lawyering. Phoenix's cheeks flush from embarrassment as Maya quickly explains to Pearl that it cost a _ton_ money to buy a billboard.

The trio arrive at Gatewater Land, all happy, but hungry as they hadn't eaten breakfast yet. Phoenix walks up to the register and talks to the old lady behind the register. She looks about as old as Wendy Oldbag, but has a much, _much_ kinder look to her face. She takes in the look of all three of them and smiles happily.

"Why, don't you three look like a happy family?" says the old lady, "You remind me of me when I was your age. My husband and I also had a little girl."

Phoenix and Maya's faces both go a shade of pink which would rival Edgeworth's formal attire. Phoenix manages to sputter, "No, no, it's not like that!"

"Mr. Nick! Don't deny it. You love Mystic Maya!" says Pearl, rolling up her sleeve, an angry look on her face.

"Er—" Phoenix says before being slapped once by Pearl. Screwed if he did; screwed if he didn't. _Just go with it; you don't have much of a choice, Wright._

"Fine, whatever. Two adults and one child," says Phoenix, forcing a grin onto his face. _One adult and two children, really._

"That'll be three-hundred forty-two dollars and ninety-nine cents, dear," says the old lady.

 _Three-hundred forty-three dollars!?_ Phoenix blinks for a few seconds before taking out his credit card, hoping solemnly for a few more clients in the future.

"Here are your tickets, dears," says the old lady, handing Phoenix 3 tickets, "I hope you three have a nice day, now."

"We will," says all three.

They walked into the park. It seemed there were a few police officers around and that they were investigating something. Phoenix, though vaguely interested, remembers that he promised himself he wouldn't do _any_ work today. Today was a day to relax and get their minds off of the sad situation a little over one month ago.

Truth be told, the only reason Phoenix decided to take the girls to Gatewater was to get their minds off of Hazakura and its aftermath. It was in order to let them be, well, _kids_ again. Everyone needed time to cool off—even Maya, who had shown unbelievable strength in the past month. She did have her moments, but overall, she acted completely normal. Phoenix was in awe, as he was _inconsolable_ when his parents died all those years ago. To have your parent die straight in front of your eyes was traumatic, but she handled it with such grace. Phoenix definitely grew much more respect for her there.

"Nick, look over here!" shouts Maya. She had run off to the haunted house section of the theme park. She seemed to have a natural connection to spirits and ghosts alike, so it did make sense that the first place she wanted to go to was the haunted house.

"I'll stay out here with Pearls. I don't think she wants to go," says Phoenix, "Do you want to go into the haunted house, Pearls?"

Phoenix looks to where the little girl should be standing—right beside him—only to find nothing there.

"Huh? Where'd she go?" says Phoenix, turning his head around desperately.

Phoenix takes a look at the haunted house, only to find Pearl had already run in with Maya. He sighs and walks in. Taking a walk through the cobwebby, run-down looking mess, he finds the two girls cowering in fear from a weird looking Blue Badger, with black pupil-less eyes. He takes both their hands and leads them through the place, deciding to skip the more horrifying parts. By the time that they're all out, Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl are all more than done with scary amusements for the day.

"Don't run from me again, okay?" says Phoenix. It's not a request. Maya and Pearl nod their heads. He takes out their map.

"How about we go get something to eat?" he says, pointing at an in park restaurant.

Maya nods her head vigorously, "Yes! I'm starved half to death, Nick! We haven't eaten anything this morning."

And so they find themselves eating pizza at an in-park restaurant. He orders two pizzas specifically for Maya and one for him and Pearl. Maya, unsurprisingly, inhales her cheesy bread before Pearl and Phoenix even finish their second slice.

"C'mon, slowpokes, we have a park to be exploring," says Maya, patting (one of) her stomach(s).

"Not all of us are vacuum cleaners, Maya," retorts Phoenix.

"Don't insult your special someone, Mr. Nick," Pearl replies, raising her eyebrows and putting a hand to her sleeve.

"Er—sorry, Maya," says Phoenix, eyeing Pearl rolling up her sleeve, "I shouldn't have said that."

Pearl relaxes and Maya snorts in laughter as Phoenix was scared of a nine-year-old girl. Phoenix lowers and shakes his head. _She doesn't know how hard Pearls can slap. These Fey women and their inexplicable strength…_

Phoenix and Pearl both finish up their pizza and head off to wash their hands. Maya stands near the entrance of the restaurant, leaning against a wall. Phoenix washes his hands and dries them in the air-dryer. Phoenix waits for Pearl to finish in the girls' bathroom and they both go out, only to find another guy talking to Maya.

Pearl immediately gets angry that that guy is talking to Maya. Phoenix feels a sudden spike of extreme jealousy, though he doesn't know why. He and Pearl both walk over to Maya. He tells Pearl not to speak up to the guy and that he would handle it.

"Hey there, Maya," says Phoenix, glaring at the guy, "you want to go for some more rides?"

"Yeah, Nick," says Maya, holding Pearl's hand, oblivious to Phoenix's emotions.

"Who's this?" says the guy. He has blonde hair, fake-looking white teeth, and an extremely forward attitude. It was plain to see that he was trying to flirt with Maya.

"Mr. Nick is Mystic Maya's special someone," Pearl says before Phoenix can reply, unable to hold herself.

The guy eyes up Phoenix and decides that it's not worth it to fight him. Then, he disappears as fast as he came.

"Thanks, Nick. That guy was _really_ starting to grinding on my nerves," says Maya, a slightly annoyed tone in her voice.

"No problem. I hate when guys try to talk to girls who don't want them in the first place," says Phoenix, remembering one orange haired friend of his in particular.

The next place to go is the Ferris Wheel. Phoenix walks around and Maya, although she had just eaten _two_ pizzas, convinced him to get her a corndog. Over her time with him, she had learned that Phoenix could never deny her anything when she used the almighty pouty face. Phoenix shakes his head and decides to keep walking.

 _Of course I have to go on a Ferris Wheel. Just my luck._ Phoenix manages to hold back his sweat, for the first time in history, and gets into line with Maya and Pearl. Pearl gets in first, forcing Phoenix to sit next to Maya. He knew what she intended by that of course, but he had no objections.

Suddenly, the wheel lurches into life, scaring the life out of Phoenix. He immediately covers his eyes with his left hand. Although he knows he shouldn't, Phoenix can't help but shake out of fear. He suddenly feels something warm enclose the hand on his leg. He looked down to see Maya's hand on his. She wasn't looking at him, but she senses that he was scared of the whole thing. Luckily, her action goes unnoticed by her cousin, and it comforts him so, he's able to stop shaking. He took the hand off his face and took a look at the Amusement Park.

It was _huge_. They still had a lot of ground left to cover, even after this ride was over. Phoenix hoped the ride would end soon, as he didn't want to be on it in the first place. Eventually, the wheel started moving down and came slowly to a stop down at the bottom. Phoenix jumps off the contraption faster than a hare jumping from predator. He looks at Maya, who seems completely unaffected by what she did.

The next attraction is the rollercoaster. Phoenix _firmly_ says no to this. Maya and Pearl both get on and have their fun. Phoenix, in the meanwhile, goes and finds a place to sit and rest. He takes a breath of relief and looks down at his own sweaty palms. The roller coaster goes round and round, finally coming to a stop at the entrance. Maya, of course, takes Pearl and leaves the attraction to find Phoenix.

" _Will you stop that?_ I don't even know your _name._ " says Maya, sounding extremely frustrated.

Phoenix looks up, only to find the guy from before coming to annoy her. He makes a split-second decision. He walks up to the guy, standing right behind him.

"Name's Dante. Dante Jones. Why don't you abandon that idiot with the spiky hair and come with me?" asks Dante, grinning his stupidest looking grin.

"I said no and I mean _no_ ," says Maya flatly, looking at Dante with a glare.

"Well, sorry for you, I don't take no for an answer," says Dante, smirking.

"HOLD IT! Stop bothering her and go away! It's plainly obvious she doesn't like you," shouts Phoenix, causing Dante to jump ten feet in the air.

Dante looks over at Phoenix, who is steaming. He takes one look and decides this _really_ isn't a battle worth fighting. Phoenix smirks as he watches him run away from the area as fast as possible fast. He moves closer to Maya and Pearl, silently hoping that they don't remember Gatewater Land by this.

"Nick, I think that we should go…" says Maya, looking at him with exhaustion brimming at her voice.

"If you say so, Maya," says Phoenix, looking at her with concern.

They make their way to the entrance, when suddenly, Maya spots a boat ride. She really wants to go, but she doesn't want it to trouble Phoenix. She hasn't been on a boat in years and Phoenix once promised her he would take her. She taps Phoenix on the shoulder, getting him to look at her.

"On second thought, Nick, can we please go on that boat? You promised you would take me when we were at Gourd Lake," asks Maya, in a pleading voice.

"Can we? Can we, Mr. Nick?" Pearl asks excitedly.

 _Maya has the memory of an elephant._ Phoenix responds, "Of course, girls."

They approach the boat and Pearl is the first one to step in, getting in the front. Phoenix gets in next and _of course_ he's the one who's going to row them ("Don't make girls do the heavy work, Nick!"). Maya gets in last, clearly excited to go on the boat ride. Phoenix is happy to see both Maya happy after everything that's happened to her.

At her mother's funeral, seeing Maya unable to even express any emotion at all was heartbreaking. She sat next to him and not a single tear rolled down her face; she watched silently as the casket was lowered into the ground. She was shaking, though she never let a single tear drop. Seeing the form of this girl, usually so happy, completely helpless, Phoenix mentally promised himself that he would never allow her to be hurt again, physically or emotionally. That night's conversation finally made him admit his feelings to himself. This isn't for her sister, but for her, for Maya who helps him so much; for Maya, who believes in him, even when he loses hope himself.

"Mr. Edgeworth!" shouts Maya, looking over at the bridge and waving.

Phoenix is then snapped out of his memory and spots the burgundy wearing prosecutor standing on the bridge. Next to him appeared to be a girl about Maya's age, maybe a bit younger. She wore a blue scarf and had a pink shirt. They took no notice of Maya, Phoenix, or Pearl. Phoenix was curious as to what they were doing there, but in the next moment he feels himself being pulled into the water.

Maya had grabbed Phoenix by the arm and had pulled him into the water. When they resurface, she has a mischievous grin, as wide as can be, plastered on her face. Suddenly, they hear another splash as Pearl jumps in, trying not to miss out on the fun. Phoenix pulls himself onto the boat and then help Maya and Pearl onto the boat as well. He quickly rows the boat to the place where they started and all three of them get off.

Phoenix gets mad for a moment, but the emotion fades as quickly as it comes, and he finds himself laughing with the three of them. They all walk to get to the exit, sopping wet thanks to Maya's antics, but Phoenix himself is the happiest he has been in the past few months. Phoenix then spots a photo booth.

"Maya, Pearls, you want to get a picture to remember this by?" says Phoenix, smiling.

"Boy, do I!" says Maya, grinning.

"Yes, Mr. Nick, I want a photo, too." says Pearl, bouncing on her feet.

All three walk into the photo booth. Phoenix inserts the money required into the machine and presses the button. He wraps his arms around both of them and holds them close to him. His eyes are closed and his warm smile is all-encompassing. Maya has a goofy expression on her face and puts bunny ears on Phoenix's head, while Pearl is smiling directly at the camera.

They walk out of the booth with their photo and exit the park, passing the old lady in the ticket stand on their way.

"I hope your family had a nice time, dearie," says the old lady, smiling.

"We did, thank you very much," says Phoenix, not even thinking of denying it. He smiles at her and walks away with the two mediums on either side of him to call a taxi to take them home.

.

.

He reminisces over this pleasant memory for quite some time. He before he yawns and decides that packing right now would be impossible. He could do it in the morning. Then he could just go to the shop and buy the gifts for Maya and Pearl. He knows he's being a bit lazy, but overall, today had been a bit slow and he was feeling tired.

* * *

December 24, 2028 7:15 AM

Wright Anything Agency

Phoenix Wright was still asleep, one leg hanging out from below his blanket and over the bed. He's spread eagled, enjoying a nice rest before he is interrupted by a phone call. It was from Trucy.

 _She's probably reached Khura'in_. Phoenix picks up the phone only to hear what looks like a full-scale party on the other side.

"Trucy, what's going on there?" Phoenix asks.

"Oh, nothing! We just had a getting together party with Polly, Daddy," says Trucy.

"How was your trip?" asks Phoenix.

Trucy sighs, "There was this really old man next to me who wouldn't stop snoring. I didn't get a wink of sleep on the plane, Daddy. I'm really tired and so is Thena, I think. She wants to talk to you."

"Put her on the line, Truce," Phoenix says, smiling.

"Hey, Boss! How's it going there? What are you doing?" asks Athena before Phoenix could even say a word.

"Nothing here. I'm planning to visit Maya and Pearls down in Kurain while you guys are gone," says Phoenix.

"Oh, okay! We're having a huge shindig over here at Apollo's place," says Athena.

"I can hear that," says Phoenix, nodding, "Don't you even _think_ about letting Trucy _near_ any alcohol."

Phoenix hears a harrumph from the other side, clearly from an upset Trucy.

"Can do, boss! Wait, Datz? What do you think you're doing? Why are you jumping on that fan? Datz!" cries Athena, dropping the phone. Phoenix hears a thud.

"Athena?! Athena! What's happening there? What—?" asks Phoenix, becoming unsettled. His _daughter_ was there, after all. If anything happened to her, he would _kill_ Athena.

Suddenly, a new voice comes onto the phone, "Mr. Wright?"

"Oh, Apollo. What's going on there? Where's Trucy? Is she okay?" Phoenix blurts out.

"Mr. Wright, calm down! Everything's fine. It's just that Datz got drunk and decided to use the ceiling fan to do some athletic training. He fell and is currently unconscious," explains Apollo.

"Is Trucy okay?"

"Yeah, Trucy's okay. She went to get something to drink—"

"No alcohol, Justice, or I _swear_ I won'teven pay you in _pudding_ again when you get back," says Phoenix, worried for his daughter.

"Don't worry, I won't allow her to get any. Scout's Honor!" says Apollo.

"Alright, Apollo, give her back her phone," says Phoenix.

"Truce, your dad wants to—no, my pudding wage!" cries Apollo. Clearly Trucy, in the span of about fifteen minutes, had managed to get drunk. Apollo immediately ends the call and Phoenix sits steaming. _That horn-headed idiot. He really allowed my daughter to get herself drunk!_

Phoenix calls Apollo back, but he doesn't pick up. He tries repeatedly twice more. Phoenix doesn't try again, but trusts Apollo to keep her safe. He's proven himself very trustworthy and Phoenix finds himself calming down in spite of himself. He continues packing away clothes for his trip to Kurain. He packs his Steel Samurai T-shirt and leggings in there with everything else. He hasn't put it on for some time.

Just as he finishes packing, he gets another call from Trucy.

"Apollo, is she alright?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Wright. I've put her into bed and she's sleeping off her hangover. Luckily, she didn't drink too much, so it won't be too bad. She did say she was tired, though, so that may play a part tomorrow morning," says Apollo.

"Alright, thanks, Apollo."

"Wait, Mr. Wright. I wanted to say I'm sorry. You put your belief in me and I let you down. I'm sorry for letting Trucy get drunk; I should have watched out for it," says Apollo, sounding down.

"It's okay, Apollo. Just watch out for her, alright. She's my daughter and I love her. Don't take your eyes off of her, okay, Apollo?" asks Phoenix, his mood softening at Apollo's apology.

"I promise, Mr. Wright," says Apollo, sounding a bit better, "Trucy's like family to me. I won't let you down. Goodbye, Mr. Wright."

Phoenix freezes for a few moments. He then ends the call and sits back down on his bed, his face in his hands.

 _I'm going to have to tell him someday. He needs to know about himself and Trucy one day or another._ _They've grown into fine people and I think that they're finally ready to handle the truth. I hope I can tell them soon, but I'll have to ask Thalassa first._ Phoenix is thinking about what Thalassa told him in May, about revealing her secret. He knows he has to do it soon, otherwise they'll live their whole lives not knowing the truth.

* * *

December 24, 2028 11:15 AM

Gatewater Luxuries

Phoenix walks into the Gatewater Luxuries shop. Most of the store is too expensive for his tastes, but he wants to browse some presents for both Maya and Pearl, so he doesn't care about the price. He has a few hours left before his train and he knows them quite well, so he thinks it'll be a piece of cake to buy gifts for them. Phoenix thinks and thinks about what he wants to get them when he realizes: his mind's drawing a blank.

He doesn't know what they want. He wants his gifts to mean something to them, not just a formality. He walks around the store desperately to find a gift for Maya and Pearl. He doesn't even look where he's going until bumps into somebody. Phoenix and the person he hit both fall to the ground, backside first.

"Sorry about that, sir," says Phoenix, face scrunched up in pain.

"You'd better be, Herr…Wright?" says the man, finally looking up at Phoenix.

" _Klavier?_ What are you doing here?" asks Phoenix, suddenly recognizing the German rock star prosecutor.

"I'm trying to find a gift for the Fraulein I invited for a Christmas get-together," says Klaver.

"Don't tell me. It's Ema, isn't it?" asks Phoenix, in a teasing voice.

Klavier turns red, telling Phoenix he was right, before asking, "What does it matter who I invited to my apartment? Why are you here, Herr Wright?"

" _I'm_ trying to find gifts to give my friends. I'm going to visit them for some time," says Phoenix.

"Let _me_ guess, now. It is those Fey girls, am I correct?" says Klavier, bouncing Phoenix's question back at him.

It's Phoenix's turn to be shocked, telling Klavier he was right, before saying, "What does it matter who I'm buying gifts for? I don't know what to get, though."

"Herr Wright, think. You know those girls better than anyone. You should know what they want. Although I would love to chat, I had better get going. I have to get Fraulein Detective her gift," says Klavier, taking his leave to find gifts.

 _Ha! I knew it was Ema._ _Wait, he's right. I_ should _know what Pearl and Maya want._ Phoenix thinks deeply about what exactly Pearl and Maya would want. He closes his eyes and concentrates.

 _Pearl has never been outside of Kurain for most of her life. She's usually been kept in the dark about things from outside, especially her clothes. She always wear_ s _the same clothes, even on school field trips. Maya told me that Pearls wanted to create a clothing store in Kurain with city girl clothes. If my guess is right, then she should want popular clothes as her present._

 _Now, how about Maya? This is going to be tough. Maya loves food, but getting her food wouldn't feel right for Christmas. How about the Steel Samurai? Maybe that's something. Think, Phoenix, think. I can't just get her DVDs, that wouldn't sit right as she already has the entire collection with her. Let me look around; maybe there's something that I can find._

With that, Phoenix opens his eyes and walks around the store, now looking for anything related to the Steel Samurai. What catches his eye is a limited edition Steel Samurai statuette, doing a unique pose. He knew that's what he wanted to get her. He looks at the price tag and does a double take.

 _Three hundred dollars? That's barely less expensive than Gatewater land._ Phoenix knows, however, that this is what he will get for her. He can't wait to see her face. He decides to also buy her the Ultimate Steel Samurai Collector's Edition DVD, for another fifty dollars.

He then looks in the clothes isle for clothes for Pearl. He estimates that she's about the size Maya was when she was 18, maybe a bit less, but still similar. Pearl would _love_ any good clothes she's given. He finally finds it; the clothes he's been looking for. The shirt Gavinners logo on it and the shorts, knee length, were pink, Pearl's favorite color. He also decided to buy a pink dress for her. He also bought her a romantic comedy film—she really loved romantic movies and where else would she get the special someone gig.

 _It wasn't much,_ he thought, _but it should be enough, I hope_.

He goes to register and pays for his items. He's just about to leave when somebody taps his shoulder from behind. He turns around to find an apologetic Klavier once again facing him.

"Herr Wright, I think I owe you an apology," says Klavier, looking slightly down, "for my role in your disbarment."

"Don't worry about that Klavier. What's happened has happened and the only thing we can do is keep moving forward. Besides, I've got my badge back, haven't I?"

"Yes, but I was used as a pawn by my brother and you had to pay the price. I'm sorry for all the damage the Gavins have done to you, Herr Wright," says Klavier, looking down at the ground.

Phoenix was slightly flabbergasted at Klavier apologizing for Kristoph's deeds. He looks at him sympathetically, saying, "Look, Klavier, I know you meant no harm in all of that. You didn't do anything to me and I refuse to take an apology for nothing."

"Thank you, Herr Wright, but this has been plaguing my mind for quite some time now, with you getting your badge back last year only."

"I repeat. Klavier, you did nothing wrong to me, and so you have nothing to apologize for. Merry Christmas, Herr Gavin."

Klavier looks up and smiles warmly, and says, "Merry Christmas to you, Herr Wright. Wish those Fey girls a Merry Christmas for me as well. Goodbye and let's hope to meet in the courtroom someday."

"Bye, Klavier," says Phoenix, smiling up at the rock star prosecutor.

Phoenix felt himself getting famished, and remembered that he hadn't eaten breakfast that day. He went into the local burger joint, the one that he and Maya frequented when she was his assistant, and ordered a cheeseburger. Eating the cheeseburger, Phoenix remembered one of the final conversations he had with Maya—in this burger place—prior to his disbarment.

* * *

April 12, 2019 8:30 PM

Chick'n'Burger

"Hey, Nick," says Maya, practically vacuuming up the three burgers on her first plate, "these burgers really hit the spot."

"Yeah," says Phoenix, taking another bite of his burger, "but I don't picture myself ever eating three burgers in one mouthful."

"Well, unlike me, you haven't trained in the art of burger-eating," says Maya, pulling her head back and giving me an imperial look.

"Where did you learn that? The almighty halls of the burger master? And what are you, his star pupil?" says Phoenix.

"Legends say that the original burger master could eat as much as ten burgers in one mouthful," says Maya.

"And at the rate you're going, you're going to surpass him within the next three months," says Phoenix, snorting in laughter.

"Not funny!" says Maya, comically puffing out her cheeks in a pout.

Suddenly, her mood becomes much less happy and much more somber.

"Hey, Nick," begins Maya, "when I become Master…"

"I know, Maya. We've already been through this. It's going to be tough, but I'm going to have to get used to not having you around for once. But know this, whether or not you're gone, I'll always be by your side." says Phoenix, nodding.

"Really? Always?"

"Always. Remember what I told you that night? Even if I lose my badge, I would never abandon you. _Never_ ," says Phoenix, putting a serious expression on his face.

' _Tell her right now,'_ says one voice in the back of Phoenix's mind.

' _No way. She wouldn't feel the same and then it would be awkward,'_ says another.

' _She's your best friend.'_

' _Yeah, but what if this backfires and I lose my friendship with her. I can't have that. Plus, what would Mia say? I don't think she'd be too happy with her old employee dating her younger sister.'_

' _You've never asked her.'_

' _No. Just no.'_

"You know, Nick. You succeed at turning any conversation into a mushy trip," says Maya, jokingly, interrupting his mental argument.

"Hey! You were the one who started the conversation," says Phoenix, raising his eyebrows in a comedic fashion.

Maya starts laughing in reply and eventually Phoenix finds himself joining her in her mirth.

.

.

Although he did not know it, he only had one week left as an attorney. Maya would leave the next morning and Phoenix would present forged evidence in court a week later. Maya would come into his office and find him in a helpless state, drunk and depressed after the trial that cost him his job. She makes sure to take care of him for a few days while he's recovering from the hangover and subsequent depression.

By the time she comes to visit him next, Phoenix is a changed man, maybe not in the best way, but he has changed. He has become much more cynical. He shows more of his old personality when she jokes around and forces him to, but overall he is more reserved. She knows that he still cares—sending her letters, calling her, and the like—though he can't visit her too often due to him being the "Forgin' Attorney" and Kristoph still looking to stop his investigation. In some ways, however, Phoenix never does change.

He has adopted the little girl of the client who lost him his job, both to protect her from Kristoph and to give her the father she never had. Phoenix shows her as much love as he can, despite how tough their situation is. He knows she meant nothing by giving him that page, but he knows that, somewhere deep inside, Trucy blames herself for Phoenix's disbarment. Financially, those seven years—especially the early ones—were a wreck, but they managed to wade through.

* * *

December 24, 2028 3:18 PM

Chick'n'Burger

Phoenix finishes his burger and leaves the shop, pausing for a moment to reflect on life over the years. He himself knew he changed, but he couldn't change it himself, and like he told anyone else who asked about his disbarment: "It's over and we should move on." Phoenix was a lot more careful now in court and scans his evidence much more thoroughly, making sure that there is no forgery.

He's also much more of the old man Maya made him out to be. He gives out advice now much more often than he did back when he was twenty-six, and he's a lot more lenient when it comes to many of the chores of his office. Except for Apollo's toilet duties. That was strictly followed when he was here, and would be followed for many years to come.

Phoenix smiles, thinking of how different he is now from when he was a young twenty-four-year-old attorney, defending his best friend from a murder charge. Had you told that attorney that, in three years' time, he would be disbarred and then adopt the daughter of his final client, he would have looked at you as though you were crazy. Time truly had changed them all. Some for the better—he thought of Maya—and some for the worse—Phoenix thought of the Butz.

Phoenix, snapping out of this train of thought, decides that he should go wait at the train station. He looks at his watch and sees that the time is about three-thirty. He decides that now would be as good as ever to go to the station for the five o'clock train to Kurain. He decides to walk to the station, giving his meal time to digest, and him time to think.

 _I should tell her now. It's been enough time. Mia approves and I think that we're close enough not to have our relationship ruined by this._ Phoenix thinks of how grateful he is to have Maya around, helping him in court or during investigations when he needs it, or being his wall of support when he was depressed after his disbarment. He thinks of how helpless he felt when he was told by Shelly that he had kidnapped her. The amount of stress placed on him during that trial was absolutely ludicrous.

Shelly had gotten one thing right, though, in all his years of killing. He had realized that the one thing that Phoenix Wright cared about above all else was Maya Fey. That's why she had been kidnapped in the first place, to be used as a pawn by an actor and his assassin; in order to force Phoenix to defend Matt Engarde from a crime which he had commited. He shuddered slightly, thinking of how close he came to almost indicting an innocent woman to save Maya's life. He never wanted it to come to that ever again, especially after the U.S. civil trial, wherein the situation was almost the same.

Iris had sensed it, too. She realized how much he cared about Maya—and though she didn't specifically say it—that was one of the reasons she never pursued him afterwards. Iris was that kind of person. She was good, inside and out, and Phoenix hopes she's doing alright, wherever she was. Her main problem, though, was that her trust allowed her to easily be manipulated, both by Godot—although he did it for the right reasons—and by the princess of all evil, Dahlia Hawthorne. That final visit to the detention center was pleasant, and yet had a tone of finality to it.

* * *

April 13, 2019 10:32 AM

Detention Center

"Hello there, Feenie," says Iris, giving him a smile.

Phoenix smiles, "Hey there, Iris."

"Where's Mystic Maya?" asks Iris, looking around for any sign of her cousin.

"Oh, she left to Kurain this morning. She won't be back for a while," says Phoenix, looking down.

"Those elders must make her very frustrated. I know how she feels, with everyone attempting to manipulate her and treat her like a naïve little girl," says Iris, also looking slightly down.

Phoenix looks up at her, instantly feeling a pang of sympathy for this girl. She had been manipulated by so many people, but she still managed to show some optimism.

He shakes his head slightly before asking, "Hey, Iris?"

"Yes, Feenie?" asks Iris, looking up at him.

"What are your plans after this?" he asks her, curious slightly.

"Well, I want to return to Hazakura and fully become a nun."

"What?"

"Well, after how much I hurt everyone—not just you, but Mystic Maya, Mystic Pearl, Mr. Armando, Mystic Mia, Mystic Misty, and Doug Swallow—I feel that I need to return to the temple. I want to pay back everyone I hurt by putting everything I have into my spiritual training."

Iris knows that no matter how much she wanted to be with him, she couldn't. After lying to him for eight months and not even having the courage to face him again for five years, how could she? Phoenix had also shown how much he'd cared for Maya, judging by his crossing of Dusky Bridge. He has someone else and she'd accepted that. She accepted that a long time ago. They each have their own destinies, perhaps intersecting this once, but never again touching.

"But don't worry, Feenie, you have someone who cares just as much for you as I do. You know who I'm talking about, don't you?"

Phoenix has a sneaking suspicion he does and he answers, "Yes, I do."

"Maybe if I put enough of an effort into my training, I may be able to unlock spiritual powers I never knew I had, like the ability to channel spirits."

Phoenix looks up and smiles at her optimism. That was something about both Iris and Maya that he loved, their constant optimism. They could both turn the most depressing of situations into a reason to smile. ' _However, even the happiest people sometimes needed help_ ,' he thinks as he remembers Maya finally breaking down after her mother's death.

"Iris, before I go, I have to ask you a question."

"What's that?"

"What if I can get your sentence commuted? I may be able to put enough of an argument in that you can get sent back to the Hazakura for the rest of your sentence."

Iris looked shocked for a moment before smiling and asking, "You'd do that for me?"

"Of course I would, Iris. I know you meant nothing wrong in helping Godot and you've shown model behavior for a prisoner, so I think it'd be easy."

"Thank you, Feenie. I don't even know if I deserve it, honestly."

"Of course you do, Iris. You're a good person and you don't deserve to be behind bars."

"That's it. Sir, your time is up; the prisoner has to return to her cell," says the guard.

They both get up and give each other a nod and a smile before separating. Phoenix cringes internally at him calling her a prisoner. She doesn't belong there and if his promise to her was anything, she'd be out within the week. He would file the appeal today and she could return to Hazakura Temple very soon. He would be sad to see her go, but he had to let her follow her destiny and he his.

* * *

December 24, 2028 4:55 PM

Los Angeles Train Station

The train's horn sounds, signaling its arrival, and Phoenix prepares for the journey by picking up his bag. This time, he wouldn't leave it lying in the station, like that other time he went to Kurain. Phoenix walked into this train, remembering all the other times he had gone on it to visit Kurain. This was his first time in almost seven months.

He finds his seat and stuffs his bag into the overhead compartment, ready to take his suitcase. He sits in his window seat and relaxes, taking out a book he had been meaning to read. It is one of Mia's old law books and it was full of large words he should know by now and information about the law. He wasn't really reading, though.

He was thinking about telling her. He didn't know if he had the confidence to walk in and then be rejected. If it had any long-lasting impact to his and Maya's friendship, then he would really regret it. Then he thinks of how much they'd been through together, and his fear of any ill effects fades away.

Then, he tries again to read Mia's old law book, but every word bounces off his eyes and never makes it to his brain. Within ten minutes, Phoenix feels his eyelids growing heavier and heavier. He knows he has to try to remain awake, but suddenly he can't remember why. All effort to remain awake is in vain as Phoenix finally closes the law book and reclines into his seat, a comfy one, before falling asleep. He dreams of the conversation he had with Maya after her mother's funeral, the one in which he realized his true feelings for her.

* * *

February 23, 2019 11:09 PM

Phoenix Wright's Apartment

Phoenix gets up feeling extremely dehydrated. He'd cried his tears at Misty's funeral, though Maya had not. She was completely blank the whole day. He knows that she was bottling up those emotions for Pearl's sake, even though it was a funeral. Pearl cried for the entire duration of the funeral, feeling extreme guilt at her part in the tragedy and for the mother Maya had lost. Mia was being channeled in order to pay her respects, and for the first time in a long time, she was crying. She wasn't making too much noise, but Phoenix could see her shoulders shaking and the tears on her face for the mother that her sister had lost.

He walks into the kitchen and grabs a cup. Filling it up with water, he takes a sip, instantly feeling refreshed. He takes a look out into the living room, and is slightly surprised to find Maya sitting on his sofa, staring out at the moon. She hasn't noticed him and so doesn't take her eyes off.

Hating see Maya like this, Phoenix quietly walks over and says, "It's not right, holding in all your emotions like this."

She remains silent, but turns around and looks at him, before looking at the moon again. Phoenix takes a seat next to her and says, "Maya, you've been holding it in way too long and I'm worried for you."

"I-I never knew my mother…" she says, her voice sounding croaky, not having been used for the past day.

"I know, but—"

"It's hard…showing emotion for a woman who left your life and never came back until the end," says Maya, cutting him off.

"She's your mother," says Phoenix.

"No…Sis was more of a mom to me than Misty was."

"It's all because of that case, Maya, DL-6."

"Yes, but she had a chance to come back, Nick. She had a chance to come and see me—to talk to me—after you cleared her name."

"She's made many mistakes in her life. That was probably the biggest regret she ever had."

"Regret or not, she chose not to see me again," says Maya, a sense of bitterness and betrayal in her voice.

"Maya, she _cared_ for you. You saw what she kept in that Talisman. She loved you until the very end, no matter what choices she made in her life."

Maya doesn't respond for a long time.

"Love…" says Maya slowly.

"Look, it's impossible to say that you forgive her choices—I don't think she did herself—but you don't have to hide your sadness at her passing, especially not from me. She deserves better than indifference. She sacrificed her life for _you_ , her daughter, not for the Master of Kurain. She died so that you could live happy, not so that you would be completely emotionally dead," says Phoenix, as softly as he can.

With that, the tears start to drop. Maya finally accepts everything that's happened to her and all the emotions that come with it. She starts shaking very hard, quietly sobbing so that Pearl wouldn't hear her. Phoenix pulls her into an embrace and allows her to have a shoulder to cry on—a person to support her.

He realizes now, how much she needed him. How helpless she was with her own emotions. She hugs him back tightly, not letting go. They stay like that for nearly fifteen minutes, Maya crying all she must, and Phoenix supporting her every step of the way. She lets him go and stares back into the night sky.

"Nick… I'm going to have to become Master soon and I'm going to have to leave the office."

Phoenix feels his stomach drop. He had forgotten all about Maya having to leave. This was going to be just as hard for him as it was for her—very hard. He doesn't want to think about it. He knows one thing though: he'll be with her every step of the way. He promises himself this. He won't leave her, not for anything.

"I know I have to leave but I don't want to and-and—"

She breaks into tears once more, hugging him tightly. Phoenix hugs her back, a few tears forming in his eyes as well.

"N-N-Nick, p-please promise me you'll never leave. Other than Pearly and you, I have no one else left. Sis and Mom both left me and Aunt Morgan hates me. I can't bear to lose you, too."

"Maya, I care for you just as much as your sister and mother. I swear on by badge— _on my life_ —that I'll never abandon you."

"Really?" she looks up at him, happiness brimming at her tired face. He doesn't know what it is, but that expression held a deep meaning to him. Happiness and hope mixed with sadness and tragedy. It was beautiful, both as an inner meaning and an emotion. This hope and happiness she exuded was the thing which kept his spirits high.

" _Never._ I'll be by your side, no matter what," Phoenix says, meaning

Maya rests her head on Phoenix's shoulder and after a few minutes, she falls asleep. Phoenix looks down at her and knows that even if he dies, he wouldn't abandon her. He wouldn't leave her for anything. He would stay with her by spirit, like her sister and mother.

 _More than that… You don't just love her like her sister or her mother._ Phoenix finally accepts it. Maya means more to him than anyone else. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her or her friendship. He loved her, more than anything else in the world. This was the truth with which he had been fighting for so long. He had denied it, even when she was kidnapped, but now he couldn't deny it any longer. He loved Maya and he wasn't sure if anything would change that. He wouldn't tell her yet, with her having been what she'd been through, but the time would come.

* * *

December 24, 2028 7:05 PM

Kurain Village

He gets off the train and looks around for any familiar faces. Nobody else is there, as expected, as his arrival was only known by Pearl. He pulled up the handle on his bag and started walking towards the village. Eventually, he caught sight of the figure a slightly small girl with pretzel shaped hair.

He calls out to her, "Hey there Pearls!"

"Hello, Mr. Nick," says Pearl, clapping her hands together in joy, "I'm so glad you could join us."

"I am too," says Phoenix, grinning.

"Mystic Maya doesn't know that you're here. She's still doing channelings, but this should be her last one for today," says Pearl, "Just wait in the dining hall. I'll tell her that we have an emergency client. She won't back down, even after a long day."

"What about my bags and stuff?"

"Mr. Nick, I've set up a room for you in there. You can go put your stuff in there and go wait in the dining hall."

Pearl tells Phoenix which room he is to go to. He walks into Fey manor and goes to the room that was identified. He opens the sliding door and is greeted by a large room that has an actual bed, instead of the futon he is expecting. The bed looks quite comfortable, quite a bit better than his own bed back home. _Maya has made some changes here; I know that girl's going to shake this place up._

He places his bag in his room and opens it, taking out what he needs for the night. He had taken the picture of Gatewater Land with him and would take it with him wherever he went from now on. He finally finds the gifts he's looking for. They're unwrapped, but he keeps them beside his bed to give to Maya and Pearl tomorrow.

With that taken care of, Phoenix starts heading over to the dining room, stopping to look at the various developments in Kurain. He sees the beauty of the whole village now. Maya had opened up the village more to the outside, but, in some ways, she never changed it. The various fixtures were left untouched, but Phoenix did notice that some good new paintings were added.

 _Of all the things that she changes, the dining room isn't one of them._ This surprises Phoenix as he was sure Maya would have added in a Build-your-own-burger section into it. He calmly sits down and waits for her to show up. _Pearls said that this was her final channeling for the day. Isn't it over yet?_

After five more minutes of waiting, Phoenix finally hears her voice. She sounds quite indignant that Pearl had set up another last-minute channeling.

"Pearly, I told you I can't handle another client right now. I'm bushed," says Maya, sounding a little tired.

"I know, Mystic Maya, but he came in so suddenly and begged me to allow him to talk to someone who died," says Pearl, barely holding in her excitement.

"Tell me his name at least," says Maya, nearing the door.

"I think it was just Mr. Nicholas because he wouldn't give me his last name."

"A Nick, huh? Sounds pretty suspicious not to give your last name. Are you sure he's trustworthy?"

"Quite sure, Mystic Maya. He looked very genuine. I told him to wait in the dining room."

"Alright then! I'll meet him and decide if I want to do one more channeling, but this is it for today, Pearly," says Maya, and he can almost imagine the grin on her face.

Maya throws open the door and says in a dignified manner, "I'm Maya Fey, Master of the Kurain Cha—"

She freezes in shock and takes him in for a few seconds. Then, her face switches to the giddiest, happy expression he ever saw. She nearly tackles him into the ground in a hug as she shouts, "NICK! You're here! I didn't even know you were coming!"

Pearl smiles and takes her leave, allowing Phoenix and Maya time to catch up.

"I told Pearls about it and asked her not to tell you for it to be a surprise," he says, returning the embrace.

"Well, then! Best surprise ever!" exclaims Maya, almost bursting at the seams from sheer happiness. She lets him go they both sit down to talk.

"I haven't been to Kurain for a break in a long time and since Athena and Trucy are gone to Khura'in for two weeks, I figured I'd come here," explains Phoenix, smiling at Maya.

"These past few months have been _sooooo_ boring, Nick! These elders and their dumb rules are the only reason I haven't been able to see you more often," says Maya.

"Well, you're the full Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique now, aren't you? So you have more responsibilities than before," says Phoenix.

"Yeah, Yeah. You sound just like them with 'Mystic Maya this' and 'Mystic Maya that'," says Maya, rolling her eyes.

"Nice to see you haven't changed a bit, Maya," says Phoenix, in a teasing tone. Deep inside though, he was glad that nothing had truly changed. Maya growing up completely would be too weird. He loved his Steel Samurai preaching, burger loving Maya.

"I can say the same thing to you, old man. As they say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks," says Maya, also in a mocking tone.

"H-Hey, I'm not that old. I'm only thirty-six," says Phoenix, getting slightly flustered.

"That's still old and, unlike me, you haven't done aged gracefully," says Maya, only looking more teasing.

"It wasn't my fault that I was—" Phoenix stops abruptly, not continuing his flimsy defense.

"O-Oh, sorry about that," says Maya, immediately looking downcast. She hadn't meant to make him remember his disbarment and looked genuinely sorry.

"It's alright. I haven't said thank you," says Phoenix, looking at her comfortingly.

"For what?" she looks up at him, slightly surprised.

"For helping me after that. You saw how drunk I was after that day. You helped me stop that," says Phoenix, smiling gently.

"I mean, what would you do without me, huh?" she laughs slightly uncomfortably.

"I would be helpless," he says, grinning.

"Yeah, you would," she says, grinning back at him.

"Anyway, what's for supper? Don't tell me its burgers," asks Phoenix, teasing her slightly.

"Ha, I wish! Like those old snobs would allow me to make burgers here. _'Oh Mystic Maya, it's so undignified for a Master of Kurain to eat those city meals,'_ they say," says Maya, rolling her eyes in an annoyed tone.

"You are their Master, you know," says Phoenix.

"I know, but I don't want to be an unpopular leader. Besides, I've already made a few changes. Did you see the beds I got?"

"Yup, and they look really comfortable," says Phoenix, nodding.

"So, you haven't told me how Trucy, Athena, and Apollo are doing back in Khura'in," says Maya.

"Oh, I called them this morning and they were having this huge party back at Apollo's place," says Phoenix.

"Anything interesting?"

"Well Datz got drunk, decided he needed to practice some acrobatics, and jumped onto Apollo's fan. Didn't end too well and he fell down unconscious. Then, Apollo allowed Trucy to get drunk," says Phoenix.

"Wait, seriously? Trucy got drunk? Datz fell from a fan? I wish I was there; I would have taken a few photos. That's excellent blackmail material," says Maya, laughing.

They both laugh some more as Maya tells him the story of how some kid in the village had a crush on Pearl and she was completely oblivious. When Maya told her, she started blushing, obviously embarrassed at the idea. Maya decided to get revenge on Pearl for the whole special someone shtick by prancing around the village and saying things like, "Pearl has a special someone!"

They aren't even done talking when their dinner has been taken to them. Eventually, Phoenix and Maya—especially Maya—have to admit they are getting hungry and tired. Phoenix, though he wants to talk to Maya more, has to admit the day is wearing on him. After eating dinner, which was noodles (much less a death trap than Eldoon's), Phoenix bids Maya a good night and decides to get some sleep. He makes sure to keep his gifts under his bed, which was _extremely comfortable_. His confession could wait, because, after all, he had gifts to give tomorrow morning.

* * *

December 25, 2028 8:19 AM

Kurain Village

"Nick! Wake up! It's Christmas, old man. You won't take too many naps _today_ , will you?"

Phoenix is jolted awake by Maya poking and pushing him.

In a shock he says, "Maya, what are you doing here?"

"Silly goose, this is my village. I can come and go as I please," says Maya, as though it was obvious.

"Somehow that doesn't make me all the more comfortable," says Phoenix, sighing slightly.

"Humph," Maya pouts, crossing her arms on her chest, "you don't seem too happy to see me."

"Maya, of course I'm happy to see you," says Phoenix, smiling happily.

"Oh, I told the elders that I'm taking a vacation for the time that you're here," says Maya, smiling radiantly back at him.

"That sounds great. Er—Maya, I have to change so…" says Phoenix.

"Oh, I'll go now. See you soon, Nick!" says Maya, leaving his room, closing the door behind her.

Phoenix went into his bag and got out his old Steel-Samurai T-shirt and pants. Surprisingly, it still fit him, perhaps because he ate nothing but borscht during his disbarment years. He loved this outfit though, as it was something Maya gave him. It had sentimental value for him.

He grabs his gifts and puts them into a plastic bag he took with him from Gatewater Luxuries. He opens the sliding door and walks down into the dining room for breakfast. He opens the door to the dining room to find nothing there. He decides that today would be a good day to make his Wright Pancakes™. He walks over to the kitchen to find it deserted. _Of course there's no one here today; It's Christmas._

He sets his bag down and gets the mixture ready, pouring in his secret combination of ingredients. He had to get it exactly right, or it wouldn't be his trademark pancakes. Making the batter, Phoenix finds a pan to make it in and sets it on the stove. Phoenix turns on the flames and lets it sit for a while. He gets a stick of butter, cuts it with a knife, and spreads the butter on the pan. The butter melts, allowing him to pour in his batter. He repeats this until there are twelve pancakes, ready to serve.

Just as he is finishing up, Maya walks into the kitchen and spots the pancakes. He can spot the chemistry between them as Maya looks at the pancakes without saying a word.

"Maya?"

"Y-Y-Yeah, Nick?"

"Set up the table to eat, or do you want to eat in the living room?"

"Living Room," says Maya instantly. She tries to take the plates of pancakes, but Phoenix knows her too well and absolutely refuses, saying he would bring it himself.

Phoenix cleans himself off and brings the pancakes—and his bag of gifts—out into the living room. He finds Pearl sitting politely waiting to eat. Maya has her back turned to the door. Both of them look at him as he enters. Maya smiles gleefully, knowing the food is just moments away from her mouth. Pearl also smiles, although not as wild as Maya.

Of course, as he expected, there was a TV there for all of Maya's Steel Samurai needs. He hands out the plates, he got three, Maya got six, and Pearl got three. Luckily, the pancakes he made were quite big, so he could handle himself with three. Maya tore into the pancakes, showing no sign of even wanting to talk. Phoenix sat down next to her, calmly beginning to eat his share.

"These trademark pancakes of yours are excellent, as usual, Nick," says Maya, finally setting down her plate after about three minutes, patting her one of her stomachs, "Really filled this one up."

"I almost forgot you had multiple stomachs," says Phoenix jokingly. He and Pearl still weren't done eating.

After five more minutes—in which Maya attempted to steal a piece of his pancake—he and Pearl both finished eating. They set their plates down and all three of them go to wash their hands. Finally, it was time to open the gifts. He guessed correctly that Pearls and Maya were going to come over to see him for Christmas before he came to Kurain.

Maya is the first one to hand out presents. To Pearl, she gives a fantasy novel, _The Lord of the Rings._ Pearl already read _the Hobbit, or There and Back Again_.Pearl takes it immediately and in happiness, hugs her cousin.

"Thank you, Mystic Maya," says Pearl, holding Maya close. She sits down and starts to read the book.

"Here you are, Nick," says Maya, handing him a wrapped gift. It looks like a book. He rips open the wrapping to a photo album. It is filled with pictures of him and Maya, sometimes with Pearl. It also has a few pictures of him with Edgeworth and Larry and Gumshoe. He would take it. It's a great present for a sentimental guy. Next is Pearl's turn to give her gifts. She gave Phoenix another blue shirt to wear. He smiles as he takes it and thanks her. Pearl gives Maya a collection of Steel Samurai manga. Maya accepts it gratefully and thanks her.

Now is Phoenix's turn to do it. He pulls his bag open and starts with Pearl.

"Pearl, I know how much you want city girl clothes, so I got you these," says Phoenix, grinning and handing the clothes to Pearl.

Pearl looks down at the clothes, up at Phoenix, down at the clothes again and then bursts into her biggest grin.

She rams into Phoenix and hugs him with all her might, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Nick! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"I also know you love romantic comedies, so here you are," says Phoenix, handing her the movie.

"Thank you, Mr. Nick! Other than from Mystic Maya, I barely get presents around here," says Pearl, closing her eyes and grinning, embracing him again.

"You're very welcome, Pearls," says Phoenix, hugging her back.

"Now for Maya," says Phoenix, turning to Maya.

"What'd you get me, Nick?" says Maya, tilting her head slightly in curiosity.

In response, Phoenix pulls out the statuette and hands it to Maya. She is in utter shock, and is even happier than Pearl was. She very nearly crushes him in the embrace.

"Air…"

"Sorry," says Maya, still happy at the gift.

He then gives her the DVD he bought and she's over the moon. She jumps around screaming, "Thank you!" She then puts the DVD into the DVD player and loads it. The title screen pops up. She presses play and the movie begins.

 _Now is the time you tell her Wright._

"Oh Wait! I forgot, Maya, I have one more present for you," says Phoenix, slightly nervously.

Maya tears her eyes off the screen as she tries to ask what it is. The words never make it past her mouth as Phoenix pushes his lips against hers. Pearl gasps out loud. Maya freezes and he pulls back. She has a look of shock on her face as Phoenix smiles.

"That was my present," says Phoenix, smiling.

"W-W-W-W-What was that?!"

"Maya, I haven't told you for about ten years, but… I have feelings for you."

Maya blinks repeatedly.

"I think it was the night I comforted you after your mother's funeral. I didn't want to tell you then because of what had just happened, but I had to tell you now. I can't lie to you any longer. Even if you don't feel the same—"

Phoenix's rambling is cut off as Maya closes the gap this time. He's slightly surprised at first, but eventually, he kisses her back. It was blissful, knowing that both of them felt the same way and Phoenix hoped this would never end. When they broke apart, Phoenix leaned his head on Maya's as Maya explained her feelings.

"You know, for the longest time, I've liked you too. Maybe it was after you defended me in after Sis died. I know, though, that I loved you by the time I was kidnapped. When I was kidnapped, I drew on Shelly's card. I drew your face because I knew you would save me and see that slime ball get served justice. After Iris's trial, I thought it was impossible, so I tried to move on, but I couldn't. No matter what I did, it always led back to you, Nick."

They look at each other smiling softly, forehead on forehead.

"I love you, Maya."

"I love you, Nick."

Pearl's happiness level goes to heights that shouldn't exist. She squeals in delight as she was right all along. She had kept quiet about her ideas in front of people, but seeing this happen in front of her is too much to hold. She screams out, "I knew you were special someones! I never stopped believing, even if I never said it! I knew it!"

"Oh!" says Pearl, suddenly, "I have to tell the village."

"No, Pearly!"

"After what you did to me with that Ron, Mystic Maya, do you really expect me to _not_ spread this the same way?"

Pearl runs off into Kurain. Maya and Phoenix both get off the sofa and chase after her.

"Come back here, Pearly, you little runt!"

"Yeah, Pearls, get back here!"


End file.
